Mercedes-Benz E350 OPTIX OP888 And OP1 Coating
This 2017 Mercedes-Benz E350 is a good example of where OPTIX new car paint protection started to become a proper system for AutoFX WA.
This was not just a quick wash and a coating slapped over the top.
The car was brand new, but it still needed preparation.
That is the part many people still do not understand.
A new car does not automatically mean perfect paint.
It can still have light marks, transport contamination, dealership wash marks, water spots or polishing haze. So before any coating goes on, the car still needs to be checked and prepared properly.
This E350 was around a $120,000 car at the time, but the same basic idea applies whether the car is worth $20,000 or $120,000.
If you want the coating to look right and work properly, the surface underneath has to be right first.
Why New Car Paint Protection Still Needs Preparation
A lot of people buy a new car and think paint protection is just about applying a product.
That is only part of it.
The coating is the last part of the process.
The important work starts before that.
The vehicle needs to be washed properly, decontaminated and inspected. If the paint has marks or haze, it may need light polishing or paint correction before coating.
On this Mercedes-Benz E350, the polishing took around three hours to get the paint to the level we wanted.
That is not a massive correction job, but it is still important.
The better the paint looks before coating, the better the coating will look once it is applied.
Day One: Wash, Decontamination And Paint Preparation
The first day was about getting the car ready.
That means pre-wash, decontamination and paint preparation.
This stage took around four hours.
That might sound like a lot for a new car, but it is pretty normal when you actually care about the finish.
New cars can have contamination from transport, storage, dealership handling and poor washing before the customer even takes delivery.
If that is not removed before coating, the coating is going over the top of a surface that is not properly prepared.
That is not how we like to do it.
The preparation stage is what gives the coating a better chance to bond properly and look right.
Day Two: OPTIX Coating Application
Day two was coating day.
This E350 received OPTIX OP888 as part of the coating system.
OP888 was used as the harder ceramic/quartz SiO2 coating layer.
It was applied to the body and then allowed time to sit and vent before the next stage.
This is where patience matters.
Ceramic coating is not just wipe on, wipe off, done.
The timing, temperature, humidity, panel size and wipe-down process all matter.
If the coating is not applied and levelled properly, you can end up with high spots, smears or uneven finish.
That is why coating work should be treated as a process, not a product trick.
OP888 On The Wheels
The first two coats of OP888 were also applied to the wheel faces.
Wheel coating makes sense because wheels cop a lot of abuse.
Brake dust, road grime, heat and dirt all build up quickly.
A coating on suitable wheel surfaces can help make cleaning easier.
It does not mean the wheels never need cleaning.
It just means that brake dust and grime are less likely to bond as hard when the wheels are maintained properly.
For a new Mercedes-Benz, that is a practical upgrade.
It helps keep the car easier to live with after the detail is finished.
Door And Boot Openings Were Coated Too
A coat of OP888 was also applied inside the door and boot openings.
This is one of those details most people do not notice straight away, but it matters.
Door jambs and boot openings still get dirty.
They still collect dust, water, fingerprints and grime.
They are also areas people see every time they open the car.
Coating these areas helps make future cleaning easier and gives the job a more complete feel.
It is not just about the bonnet and doors.
A good coating job should consider the areas people actually use and touch.
OP1 As The Top Coat
After the OP888 had been checked and allowed to sit, OP1 was applied as the top coat.
OP1 was used for extra hydrophobic performance, colour depth and wet-looking gloss.
That “wet gloss” or “candy shine” look is what a lot of customers notice first.
But again, the gloss does not only come from the product.
It comes from the preparation underneath and the way the coating is applied.
OP1 can enhance the finish, but it still needs a properly prepared surface underneath it.
This is why the system matters.
OP888 gives the harder coating foundation.
OP1 adds the slicker, wetter-looking top coat.
Together, the system gave this E350 a strong finish for the time.
Infrared Curing
The OP1 top coat needed a longer setting and curing time, so infrared lamps were used to help the coating set enough for same-day pickup.
This is where infrared curing became part of the process.
But it is important to be honest about this.
Infrared is not magic.
The truth is that controlled heat helps coatings cure.
A warm workshop, sunlight, a heat gun or infrared lamps can all increase panel temperature.
The reason infrared lamps are useful is control.
They allow us to apply more consistent heat to the coated surface instead of relying only on the weather.
That matters in coating work, especially when we want a more predictable result.
What This E350 Shows About OPTIX
This Mercedes-Benz E350 is a good example of how OPTIX became more than just a coating name.
It became a system.
Wash.
Decontaminate.
Prepare the paint.
Apply OP888.
Coat the wheels.
Coat the door and boot openings.
Apply OP1 as the top coat.
Use infrared curing where needed.
Explain aftercare properly.
That is the difference between a proper coating job and just applying something shiny to a car.
Coating Is Not A Magic Shield
This is still important today.
A ceramic coating does not make a car scratch-proof.
It does not stop stone chips.
It does not mean you never have to wash the car.
It does not prevent every water mark.
What it can do is help with gloss, slickness, easier washing and easier drying when the car is maintained properly.
That is why expectations matter.
At AutoFX WA, we would rather explain this properly than sell coating like it is some miracle product.
A good coating helps.
A good coating system helps even more.
But the car still needs care.
Ceramic Coating Compared With PPF
Ceramic coating and paint protection film are different things.
A ceramic coating is mainly about gloss, slickness, easier cleaning and surface protection from general contamination.
Paint protection film is a physical film that helps protect against stone chips, road rash and higher-impact wear.
For some new cars, ceramic coating is enough.
For others, PPF on the front end and coating over the remaining paint may make more sense.
It depends on how the car is going to be used.
Why A $20K Car And A $120K Car Can Both Benefit
This is something we still believe.
A $20,000 car and a $120,000 car can both benefit from proper paint protection.
The owner of the $20,000 car may care just as much about keeping their car clean as the owner of the Mercedes.
The product choice and budget might be different, but the idea is the same.
Prepare the surface properly.
Protect it with the right product.
Maintain it correctly.
That is what makes the difference over time.
Maintaining The Coating
After a car has been coated, the way it is washed and maintained still matters.
Poor washing can still create swirl marks.
Hard water can still leave marks.
Dirty towels can still damage the finish.
A coating makes maintenance easier, not unnecessary.
For customers wanting to keep that slickness and water behaviour going, OPTiX Final Boost can be used as an after-wash maintenance product.
Final Boost helps improve water behaviour, slickness and drying ease on well-maintained surfaces.
It does not replace the coating.
It helps maintain the feel and behaviour of the surface after washing.
Related AutoFX WA And OPTIX Pages
For current coating packages, visit our Ceramic Coating Perth page.
For more on OP888, see our OPTIX OP888 ceramic coating page.
If the paint needs polishing before coating, see our Paint Correction Perth service.
For physical stone chip protection, see our Paint Protection Film options.
For coating maintenance, see OPTiX Final Boost.
Final Thoughts
This 2017 Mercedes-Benz E350 remains an important part of the OPTIX story.
It shows the system we were building at the time.
Not just one product, A full process.
Paint preparation
OP888. OP1. Wheel coating.
Door and boot openings.
Infrared curing.
And proper maintenance afterwards.
That is what new car paint protection should be about.
Just the right process, done properly, with products that suit the car and the owner.
Door Jambs are no longer part of the coating process.
